Book Review: "The Encounter" by Stephen Arterburn

I recently read a complimentary book provided to me by Book Sneeze called "The Encounter" by Stephen Arterburn.  (Although the book is complimentary, my opinions are 100% my own, and I was not paid for my review.)

"The Encounter" by Stephen Arterburn is a fictional book about a rich businessman who goes back to his roots in Fairbanks, Alaska, in order to discover why his mother abandoned him at a young age.  Plagued by this abandonment for years, a close friend urges him to work through his anger towards her as he seeks out the truth.  He makes an unexpected friend in a persistent reporter and finds out that there may be more to his mother's story - and even his own - than he realized.  

I enjoyed reading "The Encounter" because it was short and sweet.  It's a book that probably could be read in one "session."  This book had a sort of mystery book feel to it because it starts with a bunch of unanswered questions and the characters' search to find the answers.  There was a bit of a twist at the end, but I can't say that it was entirely unexpected.  Altogether it was relatively predictable, however still a good read.  I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for a simple, sweet story to read - it would be perfect for a plane ride.  

Book Review: "Spiritual Rhythm" by Mark Buchanan

Recently I've mentioned "Spiritual Rhythm" quite a bit, and I thought that I'd review it here for you so that you have a better idea of what I'm talking about.  Plus, it might help you decide whether or not you might actually want to read it.  I am not being paid in any way to write this review, and these opinions are completely my own.

The first half of "Spiritual Rhythm" gives a detailed look at each "season" of the soul - winter, spring, summer, fall - and explains each one, including with them appropriate responses to each season.  (For reference, a season, according to Buchanan, do not necessarily have anything to do with age but our spiritual state.)  The second half of the book goes into more detail on behaviors and actions that are relevant to each season.

Honestly speaking, I loved this book.  Buchanan writes in a way that's almost poetic yet easily understandable.  The first half of the book was - undoubtedly - my favorite part.  As I read, I found that I could most definitely relate to each season in some way or other, and I think he explains each one in a way that makes sense.  He uses metaphors related to nature, but they weren't so over my head that I couldn't understand them.  His practical applications (or "activities" as he refers to them) were grounded in spiritual and biblical truth and were relevant to the accompanying season.

What I probably loved the most about the book is that there was no point where he lost my attention.  I was never bored while reading the book, and I never had to force myself to pick it up to continue my reading.  With that being said, there were times that I needed to take a break from the book in to mull over the content, particularly the parts that I felt were the most relevant to me at the time.  And I liked that Buchanan took me down that road and made me feel connected to what he had to say.  He gets personal with the reader and invited me to get personal myself as I worked through each season.

The second half was definitely good - I just didn't connect to it in quite as deep a personal way as I did the first half.  However, I think the second half was just as relevant as the first half.  You can't really have one apart from the other - they go hand in hand.

All in all, I thought this book was a fantastic read, one that I would highly recommend.  I have never read a book quite like this one.  I felt that it was original and offered a new, fresh perspective into living the Christian life.  It's insightful and relevant for everyone and a book that I have no doubt I will reference for years to come.

Bonus Blog: Book Review - "Couples Who Pray" by Squire Rushnell & Louise DuArt

"Couples Who Pray" - Review

I recently read a complimentary book provided to me by Book Sneeze called "Couples Who Pray" by Squire Rushnell & Louise DuArt.  (Although the book is complimentary, my opinions are 100% my own, and I was not paid for my review.)

The book is written for Christian couples to discover the power of praying together through the authors' 40 day prayer challenge.  The first two thirds(ish) of the book is mainly dedicated to testimonials from couples, many of whom are relatively well-known, who tried the 40 day challenge.  The last third (or so) of the book refers more to the actual challenge and factors that can/will affect couples during the challenge.  

I was not thrilled with the book for the first two thirds.  I did not like that the majority of the book seemed to be a bunch of name dropping.  I was hoping it would be more grounded in Biblical truths than other peoples' - famous or not - testimonials.  However, I thought the last third of the book was way more what I was hoping the rest of the book would be - more Biblical references, more personal dialogue from the authors, and less name dropping.  The last third could flow better than it did, but I felt like it made my time spent with the book worth it. 

Overall, I liked the concept put forth from the authors - I just wish there wasn't so much celebrity dialogue.